Welding Rods as Launch Rods

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Been using them for yrs. My 1st homemade "pad" was a 6" piece of 2x6 with a welding rod stuck in it. Used the lid from a 3# coffee can for a blast plate. 1968. Damn........ I'm OLD........
Hmmm. Sounds really familiar. Only in my case 1972 instead of 1968.

We’re not old, the word is ‘vintage’.
 
Another good source of stainless steel rod, cold rolled steel rod and 80/20 rail and fittings is Zoro (zoro.com). Prices have definitely gone up in the recent past, and are now about the same as McMaster or a little higher.

Zoro’s biggest advantage over McMaster is they have ubiquitous 20%-off coupons, free shipping over $50.00 and $5.00 shipping on anything under that. Their website is not nearly as organized as McMaster’s though.

Shipping can be kinda weird. I placed an order of mixed steel, machinable steel, and stainless steel rods in different sizes and three days later UPS showed up with maybe six different cardboard tubes of materials. I presume they all originated in different warehouses. No way would $5.00 have covered that shipping.

My 8 foot piece of 1” clear anodized 80/20 rail cost me about $10.00 ten or twelve years ago. Alas, no more.
 
My preference for launch rod material would be:

1. Grade 5 Titanium – stiff & corrosion resistant
2. 2205 Duplex SS – stiff & corrosion resistant
3. Spring or Piano Wire – Stiff
4. 316 or 304 SS - corrosion resistant

edit: probably should've included stainless steel 304 spring wire towards to top of that list.

TP
 
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My preference for launch rod material would be:

1. Grade 5 Titanium – stiff & corrosion resistant
2. 2205 Duplex SS – stiff & corrosion resistant
3. Spring or Piano Wire – Stiff
4. 316 or 304 SS - corrosion resistant

edit: probably should've included stainless steel 304 spring wire towards to top of that list.

TP
I've ordered some 304, is it possible to buy Grade 5 Titanium without being an arms supplier or at least filthy rich? :)
 
Check the wire in person. The piano wire in the K&S display at my LHS was twisted and resulted in the wire itself doing a spiral. The plain steel rod was straighter. I still sorted the stock to find one that was actually as straight as I could see with my MkI eyeball.
 
McMaster-Carr has 1/8" x 6 ft grade 5 titanium rods for $49.32, 3/16" for $74.90, and 1/4" for $116 .32.

The problem with a 1/8" x 6ft rod is its tendency to whip, so the stiffer your rod in those smaller diameters the better, But 6 ft for a 1/8" rod is in most cases overkill. You could cut the length to 4 ft and it should still work well for most small rockets. Save the 6 ft for 3/16" material. Anything longer than that and you should probably using a rail, anyway.
 
McMaster-Carr has 1/8" x 6 ft grade 5 titanium rods for $49.32, 3/16" for $74.90, and 1/4" for $116 .32.

The problem with a 1/8" x 6ft rod is its tendency to whip, so the stiffer your rod in those smaller diameters the better, But 6 ft for a 1/8" rod is in most cases overkill. You could cut the length to 4 ft and it should still work well for most small rockets. Save the 6 ft for 3/16" material. Anything longer than that and you should probably using a rail, anyway.
Our club just went to 2 foot long 1/8" SS rods for smaller LPR. These have been working fine with plenty of stability off the rod. We also have 3ft 1/8" and then 3ft and 4ft 3/16 for bigger LPRs. Then pads with 1010 rails with optional 5ft 1/4" rod a flier can switch to.
 
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